CERES

State Historical Landmarks
Fresno County

California State Historical Landmarks in Fresno County

Properties of historical importance in California are currently designated as significant resources in three state registration programs: State Historical Landmarks, Points of Historical Interest, and the California Register of Historic Places. Below is a list of the State Historical Landmarks for Fresno County. This data is provided by the Office of Historic Preservation - California Department of Parks and Recreation and is also available in the California Historical Landmarks Book.

NO. 344 ARROYO DE CANTUA - This was said to be the headquarters of notorious bandit Joaquin Murieta who made a career of terrorizing mining camps and stage operations. He was killed here July 25, 1853 by a posse of state rangers led by Captain Harry Love.
Location: Site is three large rocks in foothills SW of Cantua Creek Bridge, plaques located on State Hwy 198, 9 mi N of Coalinga

NO. 488 FRESNO CITY - 'Fresno City' gradually arose at the head of navigation of the Fresno Slough, and existed from approximately 1855 to 1875 - today there are no traces of it left. In 1872, the 'City of Fresno,' later the county seat, was established about 30 miles to the southwest, on the newly built Central Pacific Railroad.
Location: On Fresno Slough, 0.8 mi N of James Rd, from Tranquillity, then 1.3 mi NW on levee rd (dirt), Tranquillity

NO. 584 FORT MILLER - Now inundated by Millerton Lake, Fort Miller was established in 1852 as a temporary headquarters for the Commissioners during the latter part of the Mariposa Indian War. The peace treaty was signed there April 29, 1851. The first recorded religious services in the Fresno area were performed here on October 21, 1855 by Right Reverend William Ingraham Kip, first Protestant Episcopal Bishop of California. The village of Rootville grew into the town of Millerton and became the first seat of Fresno County in 1856.
Location: South shore of Millerton Lake State Recreation Area, adjacent to Millerton historical courthouse, Friant

NO. 803 SITE OF FIRST JUNIOR COLLEGE IN CALIFORNIA - Constructed in 1895, the school was known as Fresno High School from 1895-1921. Established as the first junior college of California in 1910, in 1911 it became a normal school, forerunner to Fresno State College. From 1921 to 1948 it was called Fresno Technical High School, and Fresno Junior College from 1948 to 1959. Plaque placed by the Fresno Tech Alumni Association.
Location: NE corner of intersection of Stanislaus and 'O'Sts, Fresno

NO. 873 SITE OF THE FRESNO FREE SPEECH FIGHT OF THE INDUSTRIAL WORKERS OF THE WORLD - At the corner of Mariposa and I Streets, from October 1910 to March 1911, the Industrial Workers of the World fought for the right of free speech in their efforts to organize Fresno's unskilled labor force. This was the first fight for free speech in California, and the first attempt to organize the valley's unskilled workers.
Location: In planter, 100 ft SW of clock tower, Fulton and Mariposa Mall, Fresno

NO. 934 TEMPORARY DETENTION CAMPS FOR JAPANESE AMERICANS-FRESNO ASSEMBLY CENTER - This memorial is dedicated to over 5,000 Americans of Japanese ancestry who were confined at the Fresno Fairgrounds from May to October 1942. This was an early phase of the mass incarceration of over 120,000 Japanese Americans during World War II pursuant to Executive Order 9066. They were detained without charges, trial or establishment of guilt. May such injustice and suffering never recur.
Location: Fresno District Fairgrounds, front of Commerce Bldg, Chance Ave entrance, Fresno

NO. 934 TEMPORARY DETENTION CAMPS FOR JAPANESE AMERICANS-PINEDALE ASSEMBLY CENTER - The temporary detention camps (also known as 'assembly centers') represent the first phase of the mass incarceration of 97,785 Californians of Japanese ancestry during World War II. Pursuant to Executive Order 9066 signed by President Franklin D. Roosevelt on February 19, 1942, thirteen makeshift detention facilities were constructed at various California racetracks, fairgrounds, and labor camps. These facilities were intended to confine Japanese Americans until more permanent concentration camps, such as those at Manzanar and Tule Lake in California, could be built in isolated areas of the country. Beginning on March 30, 1942, all native-born Americans and long-time legal residents of Japanese ancestry living in California were ordered to surrender themselves for detention.
Location: Pinedale